Sheet-feeding mechanism for printing-presses.



I. A. HUNTING.

SHEET FEE DING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9. 1914. 1,2%%@45@ Patented May 1, 1917.

3 SHEETS-sIiEET 1 abtow W l. A. HUNTING.

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES APPLICATION FILED DEC.9.1914.

1,%%,6;5O Patented May1,1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

l. A. HUNTING.

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.9, I914.

L w mfi, Pfitented May 1, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- IRVING A. H.UNTING OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

SHEET-FEEDING MECHANISM FOR rnrn rmc-rnnssns.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRVING A. HUNa'ING, a citizen of the'United Statesof Amerlca, re-.

' siding at Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-FeedingMechanisms for Printing Presses, of which the following is a specification, reference/being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of the present invention is to facilitate the separation ofsheets of relatively stiff material, such as tin or cardboard, from apile, and to employ the sheetseparating means also as a sheet-feedingmeans for conveying the sheets from the pile to the sheet-taking deviceson a printing press or other machine.

To this end 5 the invention consists in means for uninterruptedly movingthe top sheet'from its position on the pile into the bite .of thesheet-taking devices on the cylinder or other member of a printing pressor other machine.

The invention further consists in means for seizing the-rear.v edge ofthe sheet while on the pile and carrying it forward, free to I beregistered and with its rear edge elevated. To thls end members areprovided for s11 porting the underside of the rear edge of t e sheet. Inconnection with these members,

. means are utilized for moving said members forward, thereby advancingthe sheet with its forward edge sliding on the sheet support and withits rear edge elevated.

In order to place the rear edge of the sheet on the supporting membersaforesaid, a preliminary or partial separation of the to sheet from thepile has to be efl'ected. This may be effected by hand bythe operatortaking hold of the rear edge of'the sheetand placing it on thesupporting members, or, as shown in the drawings, this preliminary orpartial separation may be eflected by automatic sucking means, such as amagnet, in case sheets of tin are to be separated, or,

- preferably by means of a pneumatic suction device.

Other features of construction will appear as, the specificationproceeds.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is embodied in'a concrete andpreferred form, but changes of construction may of course be madewithin, the scope of the 'claims without departing from the legitimateand intended scope of the invention.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1, 1917.

7 Application filed December 9, 1914. Serial No. 876,207.

In the said drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ofiset printingpress for decorating tin, embodying the invention, which press has beenchosen as a preferred form disclosing the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of thearrow 2 in Fig; 1.

Fig. 3 is a top'plan detail View, looln'ng down upon the parts in thedirection indicated by the arrow 3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of an impression cylinder which maybe utilizedin connection with the invention.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan detail view of, the sucker for effectingthe preliminary separation of the top sheet from a pile.

Fig. 6 is a view, looking in the direction of the arrow 6 in Fig. 5, ofthe sucker head,

"with parts broken away.

Similar characters of reference denc te corresponding parts in thedifferent views.

The printing couple in the present 1nstance consists of the impressioncylinder 1, the blanket cylinder 2, and the form cylinder 3, of a wellknown construction. Adjacent to the rear of the impression cylinder isthe delivery 4. 5 indicates a platform or pile-supporting means, adaptedto hold a stack or pile of tin sheets 6 or other material. In thepresent embodiment of the invention the customary automatic means areemployed for gradually raising this pile support. As here shown, thesemeans consist in the present instance of the elevating screws 7 drivenby the bevel gears 8 which are caused to move in unison by means of thetransversely extending shaft 9, having bevel gears 10. Intermittentmotion is imparted to the shaft 9 by means of the ratchet 11 mountedthereon and adapted to be actuated by means of the pawl 12, mounted onthe lever 13 which is loosely supported on the shaft 9. The lever 13 isactuated by a crank 14 on the cam shaft 15 and connection 16. All theseparts are well understood in the prior art and need not be furtherelaborated u on.

17 indicates supporting members or ngers for supporting the underside ofthe rear edge of the sheet. These members are -mounted in a mannerhereinafter to be deby any suitable means, a convenient constructionbeing that shown in the drawings, which consists of gears 21 mounted onthe shaft '22 and adapted to engage the racks 18. On the shaft 22 is apinion 23 adapted to mesh with a reciprocating rack- 24 extendingupwardly and receiving its motion from the cam lever 25 mounted at 26.on the frame and connected to said rack by means of a pivot 27. The camlever 25 is provided with a cam roll 28 engaging in the cam 29 on thecam shaft 15.

The amplitude of movement of the racks 18 is such that the supportingmembers 17 travel from the rear of the pile over the same and forwardtoward the cylinders of the press, and the parts will ,preferably be soarranged that the movement of the said supporting member 17 is an uninterrupted one, the effect of which is to carry a sheet whose rear edge hasbeen placed upon said supporting member 17 forward into the. bite of thegrippers 30 of the impression cylinder 1. In so doing, the forward edgeof the sheet will slide upon the sheet support, while the rear edge willbe held elevated by the members 17, which by their action thus effect aseparation of the top sheet from the pile and also serve to convey thesheet forward to the impression cylinder. A suitable sheet path isinterposed between the pile and the impression cylinder. In the presentinstance this consists of an apron of sheet material 31, which extendsin an upward direction adjacent to the pile so as to form an abutmenttherefor and whichextends in a curved direction at its upper end andthence horizontally to the transverse brace rod 32. It will be noted,that the horizontal portion of this apron 31 is in a plane slightlyhigher than the top sheet of the pile so that in moving the top sheetover the said pile and on to the said apron 31, the latter will preventthe underlying sheets from following with the top sheet. From thetransverse brace rod 32 and toward the impression cylinder extendfingers 33 of the usual well-known construction, forming therebya=continuation of the sheet path between the pile and the cylinder. Itwill be understood that in moving a sheet forward, the front partthereof, and in fact the greater portion of the'body of the sheettravels over the pile and over the sheet path, consisting of the apron31 and the fingers 33, all these elements forming the sheet support. Thewords sheet support as used in the claims are intended to mean any meansfor sup porting the sheet, whether it be the pile, the apron 31 or thefingers 33.

The sheet may be registered either against the sheet-support members 17which in that event would be rigid back gages; in a manner well known inthe printing press art,

or, as shown in the drawings, the sheet may 37 is utilized to open thegrippers by acting upon the cam roll 38 connected to the grippers in theusual manner.

The sheets may be side registered by the means shown in United StatesPatent No. 1,066,528 granted to Frank D. Randolph, July 8,1913. 1

Inasmuch as the sheets here are front registered against the surfaces 34of the grippers 30 on the cylinder 1, it is necessary on account ofvariations in the size of sheets to make thesupporting members 17yielding. In order to permit yielding of the members 17 they willpreferably consist of strips of sheet material and will each. be mountedat a point intermediate its ends to a member 39 pivoted at 40 to abracket 41 carried by the cross bar 19. Mounted on this bracket-41 is arod 42 which passes through one end of the member 17 and ever, preferredto have automatic means for. effecting the partial or preliminary sepa-Zration of the rearedge of the sheet from the pile and placing it uponthesupporting member 17, the following means may be em- .ployed, itbeing understood that said means are but an exemplification .of, manyother devices which maybe utilized for this pur-;

pose.

Mounted on the frame of the machine in the rear of the pile 5 is atransversely extending bar 46 adjustable in a longitudinal direction bymeans of'the bolts 47.. Suitably mounted on this bar is a transverselyextending suction pipe 48 connected by the pipe 49 to a suitable exhaustdevice, as a pump or fan, in a well-known manner and not shown. 50indicates a rockshaft mounted in the bearings 51 carried by the bar 46.

Mounted upon this rockshaft is an arm 52 which carries a hollow studmember 53 having an opening 54 on its under side. Mounted upon this.hollow stud by means of a sleeve 55 is a sucker head 56 communicatingwith the opening 54. 57 is a spring which. has one end seated on thetubular shaft 53 and the other end seated in the sleeve 55, for thepurpose ofmaintaining the suckerhead in an upright position yet to perazama mit it to rock slightly when engaging the sheets. Connecting thehollow stud 53 and the nipple 58 of the pipe 48 is a flexible tube 59 orother suitable flexible connection, for conducting air from the suckerhead into the pipe 48. Located in the suction pipe 48 is a valve 60comprising a casing in which is mounted a sliding piston or plunger 61provided with an expansion spring 62 which normally serves to close theport 63 in the said plunger by moving the latter forward until the stop64 engages the valve casing. When the plunger 61 is in this position,the pipe 48 is in communication with the atmosphere through the escapeport 65, thereby destroying the yacuum previously existing in thesuction pipe and I sucker heads. The plunger 61 is adapted to be movedinto position to establish communication between the exhaust fan and thepipe 48 by the return movement of the reciprocating carriage carryingthe supporting members 17. This is effected by causing the cross-bar 19to engage with the said piston thereby overcoming the resistance of thespring. Suitable mechanism is provided for rocking the rockshaft 50,consisting in the present instance of a cam 66 adapted to actuate therocking lever 67 mounted at 68 and thereby transmitting the motion ofthe cam 66 through the connections 69 to the arm 70 mounted on therockshaft 50.

The parts are so timed that as the reciprocating carriage mounting themembers 17 returns, the valve controlling the exhaust device will beopened by contact of the bar 19 with the plunger 61. The supportingmembers 17 are now inthe rear of the pile. At this time the sucker 56descends and lifts the rear edge of the top sheet. The supportingmembers 17 now advance towardv the cylinders and pass underneath the topsheet, the suction in the suckers is destroyed by the forward movementof the reciprocating carriage allowing the spring 62 .to

close the valve between the suction pipe 47 and the exhaust mechanismand the mem I bers 17 then carry the sheet forward over the pile intothe sheet path and into the bite of the grippers. This operation takesplace once in each cycle of the machine which, in

the present instance, is once in each revolution of the printingcylinders.

It is of course understood that there may be one or more supportingmembers 17 and one or more suckers 56.

It will be observed 'byinspecting Fig. 1 that by my invention I amenabled to construct a very compact machine, taking up very little room,and I am further enabled to feed sheets of tin or other materialautomatically from a pile into the cylinders without any intervention ofthe operator, if so desired.

.The cylinders 1, 2, 3, are-gear-connected;

and meshing with the gear 1 of the cylinder 1 is the gear 71 fast uponthe transverseshaft 72. The gear 71 also meshes with the gear 73 fastupon the cam-shaft 15 hence, the cylinder-gear 1' is connected with thecamshaft gear 73 through the gear 71 upon the transverse-shaft 72. Uponone end of the latter shaft there is mounted a gear 74 which is drivenby a gear 75 fast upon the drivingshaft 76.

I am aware of United States Patent N 0.- 779,975 granted Joseph E.Smyth, January 10th, 1905. On page 2 of the specification of that patentthere is proposed at lines 37-40 a problem for solution, to-wit, theprovision of suitable mechanism for raising one edge of the topmostsheet of the pile. This problem I have solved as hereinbe-fore set forthand illustrated.

I claim:

1. The combination of a sheet support;

" to be opened and closed by the movement of the carriage; and means forraising and lowering the sucker.

2. A sheet-feeding mechanism including a sheet-support; a carriage;sheet-supporting fingers carried thereby; a pneumatic device for raisingone end of the sheet the other end of which still remains supported bysaid sheet-support; and mechanism for reciprocating said carriage tobring said fingers into and outof engagement with the raisedend of thesheet and to feed the latter along said sheet-support.

3. A sheet-feeding mechanism including a sheetsupport; a carriage;yieldinglymounted sheet-supporting fingers carried thereby; a pneumaticdevice for raising one end of the sheet the other 'end of which stillremains supported by said sheet-support; and mechanism for reciprocatingsaid c'arriage to bring said fingers into and out of engagement with theraised end of the sheet of the sheet the other end of which stillremains supported by said sheet-support;

and cam-controlled mechanism for reciprocating said carriage to bringsaid devices into and out of engagement with the raised end of the sheetand to feed the latter along said sheet support.

5. A sheet-feeding mechanism including a sheet-support; a carriage;sheet-supporting devices carried thereby; a pneumatic device for raisingone end of the sheet thealong said sheet support.

other end of which still remains supported by said sheet-support, saidcarriage controlling the supply of air to said device; and mechanism foradvancing the carriage to bring said fingers into engagement with theraised end of the sheet and to feed the latter 6. A sheet-feedingmechanism comprising devices for engaging and supporting the topmostsheet. at its rear edge, free to be registered; a carriage for movingsaid devices forwardly and feeding the topmost sheet directly from thepile, the front portion of said sheet sliding over and being supportedby the pile during its forward; movement; and a device forming asheetpath in front of the pile and separating therefrom the front edgeportion of the topmost sheet.

7. A sheet-feeding mechanism comprising sucking means for raisingthe'rear edge portion of the topmost sheet and separating the same fromthe pile; devices for engaging and supporting said rear edge portion,free to be registered, after said means have lost control of said sheet;and a carriage for advancing said devices into engagement with theraised rear edge portion of the topmost sheet and feeding the latterdirectly from the pile, with its front portion sliding over andsupported by the pile.

8. A sheet-feeding mechanism comprising sucking means for raising therear edge portion of the topmost sheet and separting the same from thepile; devices for engaging and supporting said rear edge-portion, free Ito be registered, after "said means have lost control of said sheet; acarriage for advancing said devices into engagement with the raised rearedge portion of the topmost sheet and feeding the latter directly fromthe pile withits front portion sliding over and supported by the pile;and a device forming a sheet-path in front of the pile and separatingtherefrom the front edge portion of the topmost sheet.

9. A sheet-feeding mechanism comprising I sucking means for raising therear edge por tion of the topmost sheet and separating the same from thepile; devices for engaging and supporting said rear edge portion, freeto be registered, after saidmeans have lost control of said sheet; acarriage for advancing said devices into engagement with the raised rearedge portion of the topmast sheet and feeding the latter directly fromthe pile, with its' front portion sliding over and supported by thepile; and means controlled by said carriage forthrowing said suckingmeans into and out of operation.

10, A sheet-feeding mechanism including a sheet-support; a reciprocatingsheetfeeding carriage; fingers mounted upon said carriage for supportingthe rear edge of the sheet free to be side-registered; and a sheetpathin front of said sheet-support, said sheet-path having anupwardly-inclined portion for separating the topmost sheet from thesheet next below the same.

11. A sheet-feeding mechanism including a sheet-support; a reciprocatingsheet-feeding'carriage; fingers mounted upon said car-H riage forsupporting the rear edge ofv the sheet free to be side-registered; asheet-path in front of said sheet-support, said sheetpath having anupwardly-inclined portion for separatingthe topmost sheet from the sheetnext below the same; and means for front-registering the sheet.

12. A sheet-feeding mechanism including a sheet-support upon which reststhe pile of sheets; a sheet-feeding carriage; ngers mounted upon saidcarriage for supporting the rear edge of the sheet free to be side-registered; and an L-shaped sheet-path one side of which is substantiallyupright and in front of said sheet-support and serves as an abutment,the corner at the'junction of the sides of said sheet-path beingarranged to separate the topmost sheet from the sheet next below thesame.

Signed at Plainfield in the county of Union and State of New Jersey,this third day of December, &LD; 1914,.in the presence of the twoundersigned witnesses.

IRVING A. HUNTING. Witnesses:

IDA SPICER HUNTING, AsA F. RANDOLPH.

